Yemen

Alerts & Warnings

We urge U.S. citizens to defer travel to Yemen and for those U.S. citizens currently living in or visiting Yemen to depart. For more information, view our Yemen Crisis page.

Quick Facts

PASSPORT VALIDITY:

Must be valid for six months at time of entry.

BLANK PASSPORT PAGES:

One page is required for entry stamp

TOURIST VISA REQUIRED:

Yes. Must be obtained at Yemeni embassies and consulates abroad.

VACCINATIONS:

None required.

CURRENCY RESTRICTIONS FOR ENTRY:

UNKNOWN

CURRENCY RESTRICTIONS FOR EXIT:

UNKNOWN

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Embassies and Consulates

The U.S. Department of State strongly recommends that U.S. citizens remaining in Yemen depart. More information can be found within the U.S. Department of State’s Yemen Travel Warning. The U.S. Embassy in Sana’a suspended operations on February 11, 2015 and therefore cannot provide protection or routine consular services to U.S. citizens in Yemen.

Please direct inquiries regarding U.S. citizens in Yemen to YemenEmergencyUSC@state.gov. Callers in the U.S. and Canada may dial the toll free number 1-888-407-4747. Callers outside the United States and Canada may dial 1-202-501-4444.

The U.S. Department of State warns U.S. citizens of the high security threat level in Yemen due to the ongoing military conflict, terrorist activities, including kidnappings, and civil unrest. The Department urges U.S. citizens to defer travel to Yemen and those U.S. citizens currently living in Yemen to depart. For more information please see our Travel Warning for Yemen.

While we discourage any and all travel to Yemen, for complete visa information, visit the Embassy of Yemen’s website or call the Embassy of Yemen in Washington, D.C. at (202) 965-4760 ext. 2

Since the beginning of the conflict in March 2015, rebel groups in Sanaa have systematically unlawfully detained U.S. citizens. Reports indicate that U.S. citizens are being targeted by virtue of their citizenship, regardless of the amount of time they have spent in Yemen, their established connections with the rebel groups, or their connections with local businesses or humanitarian organizations aimed at providing relief to those in need. During their detentions, which in some cases have lasted well over a year, U.S. citizens have not been able to contact their families or to be visited by U.S. consular personnel or international humanitarian organizations. The U.S. government is severely limited in what assistance it can directly provide to U.S. citizens in detention. There is no U.S. government presence on the ground following the rebel takeover of Sanaa.

In addition to the threat of detention by rebel groups, there continue to be other risks due to ongoing military conflict and heightened terrorist activity, including kidnappings for ransom. In March 2015, a Saudi-led coalition initiated an air campaign in support of the exiled Yemeni government. A nationwide cessation of hostilities deteriorated in early August 2016, and high levels of violence, including armed conflict, artillery shelling, and air strikes, now persist in areas throughout the country. The level of instability and ongoing threats in Yemen are severe.

Vessels in the region of the Red Sea, Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden, including near the island of Socotra, should operate under a heightened state of alert as increasing tensions in the region escalate the potential for direct or collateral damage to vessels transiting the region. These threats may come from a variety of different sources such as missiles, projectiles or waterborne improvised explosive devices. Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for an October 1, 2016, attack on a UAE vessel. Also in October, rockets were fired at U.S. naval vessels transiting the region. Piracy in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Indian Ocean remains a security threat to maritime activities in the region. In the last several years, there were hundreds of documented pirate attacks in Yemeni territorial waters in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea. The United States Maritime Administration (MARAD) has also advised that elevated regional tensions have increased the risk of maritime attacks being conducted by extremists to vessels operating in the Gulf of Oman, North Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, and the Bab el Mandeb regions.

MARAD recommends vessels at anchor, operating in restricted maneuvering environments, or at slow speeds, should be especially vigilant and report suspicious activity. U.S. flag vessels that observe suspicious activity in the area are advised to report such suspicious activity or any hostile or potentially hostile action to COMUSNAVCENT battlewatch captain at phone number 011-973-1785-3879. All suspicious activities and events are also to be reported to the U.S. Coast Guard National Response Center at the following toll free telephone: 1-800-424-8802, direct telephone 202-267-2675, or TDD 202-267-4477. For further information, see the Department of State’s International Maritime Piracy Fact Sheet and the United States Maritime Administration (MARAD) advisory on vessels transiting high risk waters.

Other potential hazards to travelers include land mines and unexploded ordnance from the 1994 civil war and other conflicts. This is of particular concern in the six southern provinces and in the northern highlands. Most minefields have been identified and cordoned off, but there are still undetected and unidentified minefields in Yemen.

CRIMINAL PENALTIES: While traveling in Yemen or another country, all travelers are subject to its laws even if they are U.S. citizens. Foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different than our own. In Yemen, foreign travelers may be taken in for questioning if they don’t have their passport with them. Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs can land the driver immediately in jail. The criminal penalties in Yemen may be very different from what U.S. citizens are accustomed to in the United States.

Persons violating Yemeni laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned. Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Yemen are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines. The use of the mild stimulant "qat” or “khat" is legal and common in Yemen, but it is considered an illegal substance in many other countries, including the United States. Do not attempt to bring qat back to the United States; the penalties for trafficking qat include heavy fines and possible imprisonment.

SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: Photography of military installations, including airports, equipment, or troops is forbidden. In the past, such photography has led to the arrest of U.S. citizens. Military sites are not always obvious. If in doubt, ask specific permission from Yemeni authorities.

U.S. citizens who travel to Yemen are subject to the jurisdiction of Yemeni courts, as well as to the country's laws, customs, and regulations. This holds true for all legal matters, including child custody and travel restrictions. Women in custody disputes in Yemen will not enjoy the same rights that they do in the United States, as Yemeni law often does not work in favor of the mother. Parents should also note that U.S. custody orders might not be enforced in Yemen.

U.S. citizen women who are married to Yemeni or Yemeni-American men should be aware that their children may not be able to depart if the children are brought to Yemen. In many instances, women must obtain permission from their husbands to obtain an exit visa. They also may not be able to take their children out of Yemen without the permission of the father, regardless of who has legal custody. U.S. divorce decrees may not be recognized in Yemen, especially if the marriage took place in Yemen. U.S. citizen women who have married in Yemen and divorced in the United States have been prevented from departing Yemen by their ex-husbands.

LGBTI RIGHTS: Consensual same-sex sexual relations are criminalized in Yemen. Penalties include fines, jail time, or death. Although the U.S. Embassy is not aware of any recent arrests or prosecutions for such activities, they remain illegal. Seeour LGBTI Travel Information page and section 6 of the Department of State's Human Rights report for further details.

Travelers Who Require Accessibility Assistance: While in Yemen, travelers with disabilities will find accessibility and accommodation much more difficult from what they find in the United States. No national law in Yemen mandates accessibility of buildings for persons with disabilities.

Due to the ongoing civil unrest, medical facilities in Sanaa, Aden and elsewhere in the country may not be readily available.

We do not pay medical bills. Be aware that U.S. Medicare does not apply overseas.

Medical Insurance: Make sure your health insurance plan provides coverage overseas. Most care providers overseas only accept cash payments. Many hospitals will not release you until final payment arrangements have been made. See our webpage for more information on insurance providers for overseas coverage.

Road conditions in Yemen differ significantly from those in the United States. Travel by road in Yemen is dangerous. Due to the conflict, when traveling from one location in Yemen to another, you will need to go through multiple security checkpoints and will be required to present appropriate documentation. Please refer to our Road Safety page and the website of Yemen's national tourism office.

AVIATION SAFETY OVERSIGHT: As there is no direct commercial air service to the United States by carriers registered in Yemen, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has not assessed the government of Yemen’s Civil Aviation Authority for compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards. Further information may be found on the FAA’s safety assessment page.

Assistance for U.S. Citizens

The U.S. Department of State strongly recommends that U.S. citizens remaining in Yemen depart. More information can be found within the U.S. Department of State’sYemen Travel Warning. The U.S. Embassy in Sana’a suspended operations on February 11, 2015 and therefore cannot provide protection or routine consular services to U.S. citizens in Yemen.

Please direct inquiries regarding U.S. citizens in Yemen toYemenEmergencyUSC@state.gov. Callers in the U.S. and Canada may dial the toll free number 1-888-407-4747. Callers outside the United States and Canada may dial 1-202-501-4444.

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